She Was My Hope
by Erin Weasley
Summary: Slave for ten years, Reina still clings to the dream of going home. When a member of the Rebellion frees her from captivity, she may finally return. Cassian never expected to be in charge of the girl after he had taken her away from Tatooine, but as he watches over her, helping her adjust to the Rebellion, she begins to take over his heart and he begins to fix her broken world.
1. Chapter 1

She had always hated the sand. It was itchy and always managed to stick between her toes for weeks. Reina also despised the blistering heat of Tatooine, in fact, she hated everything about the violent desert planet. It had been her home for nearly ten years and still, she dreamed of returning to her true home, clinging to every memory she had of Naboo.

The chains on her wrists scratched her skin as she made her way around the shop, placing new ship parts on the counters. Reina stumbled as her chains pulled forward, nearly dropping the metal piece in her hands.

"You must be more careful Reina," Asto smirked, "that is expensive." He wrapped the links around his hand and pulled her closer to him.

"Not now Asto." She pleaded. "I have to put everything in place before Varan gets back."

"My father won't be back for hours." He yanked on the chain again, but she resisted. She knew it would only cause problems, but if she didn't get done, Varan would take her to the Hutt's for their form of sick entertainment. Asto frowned. She wasn't giving him what he wanted- and he always got what he wanted. He pulled again, this time with force enough to bring Reina to her knees.

It was all just one big cycle to her now. During the day, she would work tirelessly for Varan, an outlet for him to take out his anger on and at night she became Asto and his even more vulgar brother's favorite play thing. Everyday since she was thirteen, the only thing she had known was the end of a whip and the feel of dirty hands on her skin.

"We could always take this outside." Asto sneered. He dragged her across the rough floor before she had a chance to get to her feet.

"No." Reina said hastily, already beginning to feel the hard leather hitting her back. The cuffs had started to dig into her wrists leaving them raw and red. As she got closer she could smell the alcohol around him. His disgustingly filthy hand wrapped around her neck and lifted her up so she could feel his vile breath on her face.

"Then do as I say." He hissed and leaned his head towards her. The sound of someone clearing their throat was the most beautiful sound she had heard all day. "We're closed." Asto growled. The man shifted and placed a large bundle of Wuipui on the counter, his eyes never leaving the two of them. Asto smiled sickly and threw Reina back to the floor. "How can I help you?" As they spoke of repairing the man's ship, Reina brushed off and stood, searching for the parts the two were discussing.

Cassian had to keep himself from killing the store keeper right there. Watching him with that girl shouldn't have affected him so much, but an immeasurable anger had rushed over him. And the fact that she didn't even flinch when he touched her showed Cassian that she had seen so much worse.

The girl went into the back room, the store keeper's eyes following her greedily. Cassian's stomach twisted in disgust. His conscience battled, part of him wanting to simply get the parts his ship need and get off the forsaken planet, but the other half knew he couldn't leave her behind.

Logically he should have left and snuck around back, waiting for the girl to come out alone to avoid making a scene. But he knew what would happen once his back was turned. He couldn't sentence her to even one more minute in that hell. After Cassian spotted the parts he was looking for, he pulled his blaster from its holster and shot the man in the chest.

Reina screamed. She quickly put her arms over her head. He began grabbing ship parts and putting them in his bag.

"Take anything you want." Her voice was shaky and quiet. Without a word, he pointed his gun at her. She squeezed her eyes shut, preparing for the sound of the blaster. But when it did go off, she didn't feel anything. Opening her eyes, she found that the shot had cut the chains binding her in half, allowing her hands to move freely again. Shouts sounded from outside, a crowd of footsteps storming towards the shop.

"Is there a way out the back?" The man asked.

"There's a courtyard." She pointed in the direction of the door. He glanced behind him quickly before gently grabbing her arm, pretending not to the notice the scars and bruises. It made him feel better for killing the bastard.

"Wait." She pulled her arm away. "Why are you helping me?"

"You don't think I could just leave you with that pathetic excuse for a human?" Cassian scoffed. The shouts grew louder and he started down the hallway she had pointed to, this time taking her hand. It was rough and raw, even compared to his own. He turned every corner she instructed. Soon they reached the small outdoor area. Cassian grimaced and tightened his grip on her hand when he saw the long leather rope hanging on the wall, stained with dark red.

Reina felt the familiar stings on her back as she followed the stranger's gaze to the whip on the wall. She walked towards the opposite wall and looked up.

"We can climb over here." She knelt, locking her hands together. "I'll boost you up." He was hesitant, but she was stronger than she seemed. In the most theatrical manner, the crowd bust out of the building right as Cassian started to pull her up, one of the them nearly latching onto her barefoot as she scrambled over the wall. The alley was empty since most of the people had rushed into the store when they heard the shots.

"Who are you?" Reian asked, the man checking around the corner.

"My name is Cassian Andor." He responded quickly, not paying much attention to her since he was focussing on his escape plan. He finally decided the best way to get back to the ship. "This way." He started to move, but Reina stopped him.

"Wait." She started to dig around the sand.

"We don't have time." Cassian said angrily, his patients quickly running short.

"Just hold on. I left something here when I was first brought here. It's important to me." So he waited until she finally found what she was looking for; a long rectangular box that appeared to have no openings.

"You've got what you were looking for, now let's go!" Cassian grabbed her arm again, hoping she'd be able to keep up with him. Reina tucked the box in her belt and ran behind him, though she quickly passed his speed. They exited the alley and entered the main street. Reina turned, facing a group of seven stormtroopers, not that they paid any attention to her.

"Not that way." Cassian pulled her in the other direction. Walking their way, however, was Varan, and Asto's brother Zane.

"Not that way." Reina hissed but they had already been noticed.

"What the hell?" Varan shouted. The two and their gang of mindless minions started to charge the pair.

"Run!" Reina started down the street, careful to avoid the pack of stormtroopers. The street was crowded, making it difficult to move quickly, but creating the perfect cover. Reina ducked into an alley, Cassian nearly running into her when she stopped, both breathing heavily.

"So what about you?" Cassian wondered. She turned to him with confusion. "Your name." She caught a glimpse of the barrel of a gun over Cassian's shoulder, Zane's angry sneer at the trigger. She rammed into Cassian, sending both of them into the dirt, right as the shot went over their heads.

Cassian hit the ground hard, knocking the breath out of him. Reina landed on top of him, their faces only one movement away from touching. As his chest rose and fell, she slightly moved with every breath he took.

"Well Cassian Andor," She whispered, "the names Reina Tolderyn and I believe I just saved your life." She jumped up, holding out her hand, but he got up himself, giving her an irritated glare. Zane had started towards them, but was stuck between the stormtroopers and the crowd. Rerouting the plan, Cassian continued running down the alley.

"You could be a little more grateful you know." He muttered.

"Oh quit complaining." She thought for a moment. "And thank you." They kept running until they reached a small cargo ship in a landing area. A tall droid walked towards them and Reina stopped in her tracks when she saw the symbol on the droids arm. "You're with the Empire?"

"Hardly." Cassian chuckled.

"Who is this?" The droid asked, his digital voiced laced with disapproval. "You know, there is a 95 percent chance that-"

"K2, I don't care." Cassian passed his droid and entered the ship, Reina hesitating to follow him. But since he was her only option, she had no other choice but to go in after him.

"Well if you're not part of the Empire, than what are you part of?" She placed her hands on her hips and he looked up at her from the parts he was repairing.

"That is none of your business." K2 snapped.

"Sorry about him." Cassian sighed. "Ever since I reprogrammed him, he's been a pain in the-"

"I beg your pardon?" K2 exclaimed. "I have saved your life over-"

"Still don't care K2." He went back to repairing as many parts as possible in the amount of time they had before the thugs from the street found them, which turned out to be sooner than he thought. Reina shut the entrance hatch before Varan could get on, but they used all the force they had to try and get in.

"We need to get out of here." She shouted, looking down at Cassian in the hole in the floor with sparks and wire sticking out around him. He was leaning so close to the welder, she was afraid his hair would catch on fire.

"If I don't get this fixed, we won't be going anywhere!" He yelled back. She ran her fingers through her hair and sighed angrily. She was so close and if they took her back now, Varan would kill her for what happened to Asto, whether or not Zane protested. No slave slut was worth more than his son.

"You fly, I'll fix." She blurted. His eyebrows knitted together.

"What?" He rubbed his eyes. "Do you even know how ships work?"

"I know enough." She hopped down into the maintenance pit next to him. He opened his mouth but she stopped him. "It's the only chance we've got." The banging on the ship got louder. "Besides, your droid can talk me through it."

"I most certainly will not." K2 snapped. Cassian ran his hand down his face and handed her the welder.

"You're crazy, you know that right?" He said and he climbed out of the hole and rushed to the cockpit.

"Being crazy is the only way to keep sane on this planet." Reina muttered. She looked at the tangled mass of metal before her. Varan had made her fix hundreds of ships over the years and her mind labeled the broken parts as she saw them.

The ship jerked forward as Cassian tried to get off the ground. Sweat ran down his forehead and the ship swayed from side to side. Reina frantically started welding as a bright red alarm went off over head.

"The probability of us successfully taking off is-"

"Shut up!" Reina and Cassian yelled.

The two worked quickly, Cassian trying to keep from crashing into anything and Reina desperately trying to fix broken parts. She welded in one last piece and the alarm silenced. Cassian looked back at her and she nodded. The ship moved upward, over the buildings around it. Cassian pushed the lever forward and the ship zoomed through the Tatooine sky. They did it.

Reina moved the metal floor panel back into place as she climbed out and walked across the ship to join Cassian at the cockpit. The two suns had started to set, turning the sky a deep russet red and for the first time in ten years, it was beautiful. She couldn't stop the tears from filling her eyes and collecting on her cheeks.

Cassian glanced at her and gave her a soft smile. His own heart filled with joy for her, and although he wanted to know more about her; wanted to ask her a million questions, he stayed silent, and let her have this moment.

Reina sat down in the copilot seat and watched as they broke through the red sky into the stars. She closed her eyes tightly and reopened them slowly. She was still on the ship, sitting next to her mysterious- and ruggedly handsome, as she now noticed- savior. She was still gazing into the dark void of space. She was free.

 **I wrote this story a while ago, and I am reentering the world of fanfic, so I thought this would be a great way to come back. This story is going to deal with some dark themes, so ye have been warned. I hope you like it, and let me know your thoughts!**


	2. Chapter 2

After a few hours of drifting through space, Reina had fallen asleep, curling up in the chair and letting her hair out of its tight braid. Cassian couldn't help but smirk as the dark strands fell in front of her face, blowing away whenever she exhaled. He had set the ship on autopilot in hopes of getting sleep as well. But as soon as his eyes were closed, K2 decided now was the time to criticize Cassian's life decisions.

"You are a complete and utter moron." The droid quipped. "Not only have you stolen a slave, from the looks of that brand on her shoulder, you have stolen a slave from the Besais- who I'll have you know are close correspondence with the gang lords of Tatooine, the Hutt's."

"I didn't steal her." Cassian growled. "I saved her."

"Well then would you like a medal?" K2 snarked. "Maybe they'll hang it on their wall next to your intestines!"

"Well there's one less of them to track me down." Cassian muttered, tired of the droids dramatic conclusions.

"You killed one of them!" K2 shouted. Cassian angrily pointed to the sleeping girl next to him and put a finger to his lips. "I am never letting you leave this ship unsupervised again. Which one did you kill?"

"Asto," Reina sleepily muttered. Her eyes opened suddenly, looking frightened. She gripped the chair, knuckles white and eyes wide. She looked around, memories of the day flooding into her mind. She sighed and rubbed her eyes.

"Are you alright?" Cassian asked. Reina stared at him with surprise. No one had asked her that in years. She nodded.

"I'm fine." She said shortly.

"Are you sure? I can have K2-"

"I said I'm fine." She stared out into the darkness in front of her. K2 crossed his robotic arms in disapproval. Cassian gave him a look and he got up to check with the Base.

Reina didn't have enough energy to feel bad about the way she was acting. She wasn't use to people treating her kindly, and she feared that if she let her guard down, other motives than kindness would be revealed. When Cassian returned he sat back down silently. Despite Reina's longing for quiet, her curiosity inevitably got the better of her.

"Where are we going?"

"That is classified-" K2 started.

"I'm taking you to the Rebel Base on Yavin 4." Cassian answered without thinking.

"Is nothing a secret with you anymore?" K2 exclaimed. Cassian rolled his eyes.

"You're part of the rebellion?" Reina asked. "I wasn't sure if it existed anymore."

"We're still here." Cassia said with a sigh. K2 made a noise of irritation and moved the the back of the ship.

"The rebellion." She repeated thoughtfully. "I've only ever heard rumors- stories between people at the shop." She decided not to tell him that it was those stories that she distracted herself with on the worst nights with Zane. They reminded her of the stories that her father used to tell her when she was young; the legend of the Jedi Knights. It was almost soothing to know that there could be people out there, fighting for people like her.

Now she was sitting next to one, a real member of the Rebel Alliance. But strangely, she didn't see him any differently. He still looked like the man who save her from Tatooine. There wasn't a sudden glow of light around him, nor did the word hero come to mind when she looked at him. To be honest, he just looked tired. Like a man just trying to make it through the day in this life.

But this didn't disappoint her at all. He wasn't what she always pictured, but somehow that made him more real, with his tanned skin and nearly chin length hair. A word that did come to mind, no matter how she tried to ignore it, was _handsome_.

He couldn't help but study her as well. Her honey colored eyes watched him thoughtfully. There was a small scar under her eye, along with the dozens on her arms; pale ridges on her olive skin. For a moment he wondered how she got them, but then he figured that he probably didn't want to know. He wanted to kill every one of the those men as it was and he doubted it could be a pleasant story.

Reina also had an unlimited amount of questions for Cassian, but she kept them to herself. In all honesty, she simply didn't know where to start.

"We'll be at the base in roughly four hours." He said, glancing at her briefly. She nodded and started subconsciously fiddling with the remain chain on her wrists. She snapped a small metal piece off of a broken part of the chair. Cassian raised an eyebrow as she picked the locks of the chain, each cling and sliding off.

"You seem pretty good at that." He noticed. She rubbed her wrists, red and raw.

"I've had a lot of practice."

"How long?" He asked. "Were you there, I mean." She stiffened and remained quiet, creating an uncomfortable silence.

"Ten years." She finally whispered.

"Where are you-"

"I would prefer we not talk about this!" She shouted, startling Cassian. She closed her eyes and lowered her voice. "Please." Cassian clenched his jaw and turned away from her.

He wasn't acting at all like himself. Normally he was the one who shut himself off from other people, he wasn't the one prying for answers. But a part of him wanted to know her, wanted to understand her. And he couldn't figure out why.

The next few hours held very little conversation. Reina would occasionally ask about Cassian's life as a rebel and he would answer shortly and quietly. When they did finally reach the tree covered planet, K2 huffed about something. Probably saying how much trouble Cassian would have to deal with once Mon Mothma found out that he had killed one the the Besais.

Cassian paid no attention to him and landed the ship. The landing station was swarming with rebel pilots. Reina hadn't seen this many people in one place- who weren't trying to kill each other, anyway. Not since she was a young girl.

She remembered the celebrations of Naboo, all the lights and dancing. She pictured all of the people, her family and friends gathered in the square eating and laughing. Those moments felt so far away, but yet she remembered as if they were yesterday.

Cassian watched her smile, her eyes distant and her mind lost to another time. He didn't want to interrupt her thoughts. K2, however, had no problem at all.

"They'll want to get you cleaned up if you're going to stay here." Cassian shot him a look and scoffed. She came out of her trance and looked at her dirt covered skin.

"Well let's go then." Reina sighed, walking out of the ship without another word. Cassian stared at K2, arms crossed and eyebrows raised.

"What?" the droid wondered innocently.

"We need to work on your people skills." Cassina stood and started to follow Reina outside.

"Says the man who stole four hundred credits," K2 exclaimed, "from an orphanage!"

"I was sixteen!"

* * *

While Reina was inspected, Cassian had to make the arrangements of her stay with Mon Mothma. Needless to say, she was surprised that Cassian has brought back a slave from Tatooine when he should have been back from his journey a week ago.

"I just don't understand Captain," She said as the two walked down the hallway towards the dining area. "Why risk being noticed by the Empire? You very well could have just repaired your ship and left. Why take the girl with you?"

"I felt like if I didn't, I'd be betraying the rebellion." Cassian explained. "We're supposed to give people the hope of a life outside the Empire. I couldn't leave her to suffer with those people." Mon Mothma gave him a wise smile. They turned into the dining room and found Reina sitting at a table scarfing down food rations.

"She reminds me of someone." Mon Mothma whispered.

"Who?" Cassian wondered. She smiled again.

"You." They both studied the girl, Cassian briefly making eye contact with her before awkwardly looking away, turning back to Mon Mothma as she continued. "Which is why I'm putting you in charge of her for the next few months."

"What?" He exclaimed.

"You heard me Cassian. I want you to watch over her, maybe train her." She started to walk away.

"But-"

"Think of her as your new mission." She left without another word. Cassian ran his hands through his hair and sighed. His brief moment of heroism has faded and now he was back to being the quiet rebel captain, the one who would did absolutely anything to keep the rebellion alive. The one who was always alone.

Reina noticed Cassian approaching her and sat back in her seat. His eyebrows were knitted together and his lips were in a tight line. She gulped down the rest of her water and he sat across from her with a huff. She narrowed her eyes at him.

"What did she say?"

Instead of an answer she received a look that clearly meant he wanted to be left alone. Cassian had never done well on the bench, so to say. He always needed to be doing something. He had had the same impulses when he was a teenager, always getting into fights just because he needed to _do_ something. Now he had the same feeling, his hands itching for something to hit or shoot.

Reina leaned forward, watching Cassian carefully. She was so curious about everything, and he was the only one who could give her answers.

"What do you do here?" She asked. He looked up at her and muttered something. "You're going to have to speak up."

"Captain of Rebel Intelligence." He responded gruffly. She nodded, seeming slightly impressed. Reina didn't mind his hostility for she had grown so used to it. Besides, she wasn't exactly a joy to be around either.

The day was drawing to a close and people started filing to their private quarters or to their nightly posts. Reina wasn't tired at all from her long rest on the ship and truthfully just wanted to wander around the base, to finally feel the freedom she had dreamed of.

"Your quarters are this way. Mon Mothma wanted you close to me, so if you need something, I'm across the hall." His words held no emotion as the two made strides down the hall towards their rooms. Cassian stopped abruptly and opened to door in front of them, handing her the key card he used to unlock it.

"There is one extra card for this room and it is in my possession. I assume you can figure out the rest on your own." He turned to the room across the hall, opening it with his own key card.

"Thank you, Captain Andor." Reina stated abruptly, her stance almost seeming professional, as if they were merely colleagues. "And goodnight." They departed into their rooms and it took a moment for Cassian to catch his breath. What was going on with him? He was acting as if he'd never seen a woman before. For the rest of the night he tried to get some sleep… and dreamed of the girl from Tatooine.

* * *

 **Hello again! I hope you guys are enjoying so far! The next chapter will start some darker themes, so just be prepared. Let me know what you guys think and if you want to see more!**


	3. Chapter 3

Major warnings for this chapter. Mentions of abuse and assault, assault, and mentions of suicide to follow. I hope you guys are enjoying the story and I can't wait to see where this goes.

* * *

It took Cassian a moment to figure out where the screams were coming from. He quickly got out of bed and fumbled around the room for the key cards. The panic settled in him as her cries grew louder, the names _Asto_ and _Zane_ echoing through the hall. He slid the card through the scanner.

 _Rough hands pulled her wrists and tangled in her hair. Voices shouted commands at her from the dark and the sharp crack of leather hitting her skin filled the void of her thoughts. She called out into the darkness, screaming for help but all she received was laughter and a kick to the stomach. She felt hot breath on her cheek and flinched away._

 _"You will always belong to me."_

Cassian shook her shoulders until her eyes flew open, seeing only the vastness of his brown eyes. Reina pushed him away.

"What's going on? Where am I?" She questioned, his hands were still gripping her arms and she tried to force him away from her. "Get off of me!"

"Shh- Reina you're safe. They can't find you here. Shh…" Cassian waited until her breathing slowed to a normal pace before letting go of her wrists.

"What are you doing?" She breathed. "In here, I mean." He looked at her with disbelief.

"You were screaming. Probably woke up the entire base." Since his hands were now empty, he let them fall into his lap. Even in the dark, he could see her face grow red.

"Thank you for waking me then." She threw off the covers and stood up, pacing around the room. "You should get some sleep."

"So should you." He sighed. Reina laughed coldly.

"I don't think I'll be getting any more rest tonight." She ran a hand through her hair and felt disgusted at how long it had gotten on the desert planet.

"Neither will I." Cassian muttered. Once he was awake, he was completely awake. She eyed him cautiously, still pacing. "Will you stop that?" He barked.

"I can't." She snapped back. "I have to do something. I can't just sit here and do nothing."

"Well, you're only making it worse for yourself." He opened the door. "Come on." he began down the hall and she followed skeptically behind. A few of the guards who got stuck with night patrolling passed by, not bothering to ask Cassian what he was up to. He often took midnight strolls around the base to give him time to think.

"Where are we going?" Reina demanded. Cassian checked around them before opening the to door to the 'graveyard.' The ground was littered with small metal parts leading up to old ships- hopeless cases according to the mechanics.

"You said you needed something to do, here it is." He held out his arms, gesturing to the piles of junk around them. "After what I saw on the ship, I'd say you're a rather decent ship mechanic."

"You want me to repair all this?" She exclaimed.

"I want you to get your mind away from Tatooine. I just thought this might help." He picked up a few pieces and put them back, looking for anything that might be useful. While he blundered around, Reina has already created a pile of droid parts.

She placed them all on the ground, fitting them together and creating an almost complete upper half. Cassian stared in shock.

"I'm going to need a welder, four bolts, and a new memory chip. This one's fried." She ordered. He remained still. "Go!"

What was meant to be something to ease Reina into base life, turned into a daily routine between the two. Cassian would bring here the parts she needed and she continued to build the droid. Cassian made sure only to bring in parts that couldn't be used for anything, or that were mostly dead.

Soon the days turned into weeks and the two found themselves enjoying each other's company to the point where it was difficult to find them apart.

One morning, in particular, Cassina walked in with arms full of scrap metal and broken engine pieces, dropping everything to the floor as he gawked at the girl before him. Sweat and oil were streaked across Reina's forehead. What has surprised him was hair- once reaching all the way down to her waist, now cropped just under her chin.

"What are you staring at?" She smirked. He said nothing. Reina snickered and stepped towards him. "Anybody there?"

"Your hair… it's shorter." He stammered. Reina rolled her eyes.

"I have something to show you." She stared in the direction of her usual workspace, motioning for him to follow. Sitting on the desk was a small, MSE-6 repair droid. She watched it proudly.

"You finished it?" Cassian gasped, examining the mouse size robot.

"It can now help me repair ships as well as bring me my drinks." She grinned.

"You didn't tell me you were replacing me!" Cassian teased, earning a playful smack to the back of the head. "This is incredible, Reina. They might have you start working in mechanics. You'll be fully integrated into the rebellion in no time.

Without thinking, she threw her arms around him. Quickly, she pulled away, rubbing the back of her neck awkwardly. Cassina looked at her with wide eyes, the feeling of her touch still coursing through his limbs.

"Well don't you two look cozy." A man stood in the doorway, eyes traveling over Reina's body with an animal-like glint.

"How can I help you, Lieutenant Sail?" Cassian coughed. Sail held up his hands innocently.

"Just coming to see if the rumors were true, Cap. Some of the boys were talking about the hot new mechanic from Tatooine." He rubbed his hands together, Reina shuddering under his gaze. Cassian noticed her discomfort.

"That's enough Lieutenant." He dismissed, but Sail stayed put.

"Did they teach you the dances Hutt's girls do?" Sail snickered. Reina started towards him.

"You pig." She spat. Cassina held her back and shoved Sail through the door. Reina beat her fists against him, trying to get passed. "Let me through! I'll show him the Hutt's hospitality." Cassina turned, latching onto her wrists.

"Let him go." He commanded. She continued to fight him "I said stop!" He shook her and she began to settle. She pushed away from him and crossed to a darker part of the room. Cassian curled his fingers around a metal bar and threw it across the room.

"You better hope you didn't break anything!" Reina called after the loud metal clang.

"It's the graveyard!" Cassian retorted. "Everything is already broken."

* * *

Reina has made sure Cassina has settled in before heading to her quarters. Her prayers to be alone, however, were not answered.

"Sorry about back there." Lieutenant Sail shrugged, leaning coyly against her door. "I didn't know Captain-Killjoy was your boyfriend." Reina faulted for a moment.

"My-" She stepped back. "He- he isn't my b-boyfriend." Sail grinned hungrily.

"Well then, we have nothing to worry about." He came towards her, large arms pinning her against the wall. He crashed his lips to hers, his fat tongue fighting against hers. She bit down hard and shoved him away. He hissed and wiped away the blood now pooling on his lip.

"You little bitch." He raised his hand to strike her but something flashed in front of him, landing a solid right hook to his jaw. He cried out with a mixture of pain and fury. Cassina put himself firmly between the Lieutenant and Reina.

"I suggest you get out of here before I report you." Cassian snapped. Sail stumbled back.

"Slave whore." He muttered under his breath. Cassian grabbed him by the collar and slammed him into the wall.

"What did you say?" He boomed.

"Nothing." Sail growled and Cassian threw him to the ground.

"Go." Sail stood and retreated down the hall. Cassian turned to a wide-eyed, livid Reina. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine." She rubbed her arms, sure that Sail's groping hands would leave bruises. Her body shook with anger. "Goodnight." She slipped into her apartment, Cassian following behind her.

"Wait." He sighed. "What happened back there… I want you to know that we're not all like that. The rebellion is meant to protect and help people. Sail is just a bastard."

"I am perfectly capable of making my own judgments." She snarled, placing her hands on her hips. "As well as fighting my own battles."

"I think a 'Thank you' should be in order." Cassian glowered.

"Thank you?" She exclaimed. "I was fine! This isn't exactly my first time dealing with scum like Sail."

"What can't you just accept that some people simply want to help you?" He stepped towards her. She stiffened.

"I think you should leave."

"Fine!" Cassian shouted. He rubbed his eyes and his voice layered with exhaustion. There was no point in trying to talk to her. "I'll just see you tomorrow." He sighed and walked back towards the door.

"I've always hated that word." Reina said quietly. Cassian stopped.

"What?"

" _Tomorrow_." She looked up at him, a sad smile on her face "It's a dreadful word." He stared at her, completely still, his hand falling away from the doorknob. "Sure, some people consider tomorrow as a world of endless possibilities. But no one ever tells you that all it brings are empty promises." She slid down and sat on her bed, wrapping her arms around her knees, but still meeting Cassian's gaze.

"Back on Tatooine, I would tell myself; "Tomorrow I'm going to break out of here." Every time I felt the whip on my back or their hands roaming my skin, I held on to the thought that _tomorrow_ it would all be over. _Tomorrow_ I would find my way home again." Tears had now begun to spill from her eyes onto her cheeks. Cassian felt the urge to rush over to her and capture her in his arms and tell her that that part of her life was over now. That she would be alright. That he was here. But he knew it would never truly be over.

"I told myself that for _five years_." The room fell into a deadly silence. Cassian shifted but didn't move from his place. "It was my eighteenth birthday when Zane decided that I should be given a present. At first, I thought it might be an extra food ration for a day, hoping that maybe he had a shred of humanity in him. Instead, they took me to the house of Jaba the Hutt."

Cassian immediately knew where the story was going, but he felt it was something she needed to say. She slowly stood up, her legs shaking and hands trembling. Her eyes stared off- like she could see everything happening in her mind.

"He and his friends made a circle around me and started singing happy birthday. Zane walked towards me." She paused as if what she was reliving was physically hurting her. "H-he pushed me into one of his friends, who pushed me into another who tore my shirt, throwing me to another. When I got back to Zane I was half naked and my cheek was swelling and purple. I could barely stand so he pulled me up by my hair. He took one look at me and threw me to the ground planting his foot firmly on my face." The tears that had started softly were now flowing uncontrollably fast.

"He bent over and he said 'You will always belong to me.' And then he…" She couldn't bring herself to finish the memory, but Cassina instantly understood. Instead, she skipped over it and continued. "After that, he and his friends proceeded to beat me until I was nearly dead." Her gaze finally returned to him, her dark eyes revealing all of her pain. "It was that day I realized there was no hope for tomorrow. For me, tomorrow would never come. I knew that it was just an endless cycle of days and nights that would never change." Her hand found her through, where a rope has nearly freed her from the nightmare she called life. Cassian read her motions and felt his heart drop.

"All the abuse. All the _rape_. It was all I would ever have. The word tomorrow has become a cruel reminder that I don't have one." Her knees collapsed beneath her and Cassian finally moved from his frozen place in time to catch her, pulling her to him with his arms tightly wrapped around her. He held her head as she buried her face in his chest, sobs filling the quiet between them.

Hours past before Reina's cries had silenced and her breathing steadied, completely asleep in his arms. He looked down at her. Even though she had been receiving much more food than she would have had, she was still so thin, fitting in his arms like a doll. He placed a light kiss on her forehead.

"Let me be your tomorrow."


	4. Chapter 4

Reina jolted awake, the most recent nightmare fading from her mind. They had been happening all night, each one worse than the last. But each time, Cassian was by her side, ready to chase all of the monsters of her memory away. He had moved her to her bed and resided in a chair across from her, usually waiting for her to stir or cry out.

But now, his head rested against the wall, arms crossed over his chest and eyes closed. Reina couldn't help but smile. In all their time together, she had never seen him so… relaxed. His dark hair stuck out in every direction and his tan skin reflected the light from the lamp on her desk.

His sleeping form tensed, his face contorted with fear and remorse. His feet shifted on the floor, kicking and fighting against an invisible force.

Cassian's eyes shot open, his chest heaving with rapid breaths. His hand reached for his blaster, hovering over its holster until he realized where he was. Reina laid in silence as his eyes locked with hers.

"You never said you had them too." She said her voice barely above a whisper. He shifted, leaning back against the wall, this time alert and stiff.

"We all have demons from the dark that we must face." Was all he said.

The morning following, Cassian found himself more observant of every person who passed by. His fists clenched every time a man's gaze traveled toward Reina and his pulse quickened whenever she was near. Reina made a point of avoiding his eyes, often staring off into the distance.

"Reina…" Cassian whispered. Her expression remained blank and unresponsive. He spoke louder, but quiet enough to not frighten her. "Reina."

"I'm fine." She blurted, coming out of her trance. She watched Cassian's brows furrow.

"I- I was just going to ask if you wanted a rag." He stammered. She looked down at her hands, slick with oil and arms caked with rust.

"Oh… yes. Thank you." He grabbed a towel from the counter and handed it to her. Their fingers brushed against each other and their eyes met. The gold flecks in Reina's eye shimmered with the light of a dozen suns. The dark depths of Cassian's chocolate eyes filled Reina with something she never thought she would feel again. _Hope_.

The rag fell to the floor and was quickly forgotten. Cassian's fingers intertwined with Reina's. He brushed a strand of hair out of her face. She pulled their hands apart and quickly picked the rag up from the ground. Cassian's face fell, but only for a moment.

"How long have you been in the rebellion?" She asked, hoping to fill the silence as she cleaned the oil off of her skin.

"Since I was six." He answered quietly. He shifted awkwardly in his seat.

"My father never spoke much of the Rebellion." Reina mused. "But I knew he believed in it. He always told me stories of how everything used to be. The time of the Jedi…" Something stirred inside her. It was a feeling she felt every time she tried to recall the time before the Empire.

There was a sharp, quiet sound, like metal shifting on metal. Reina didn't notice, but Cassian stared curiously at the rectangular box Reina had insisted on bringing from Tatooine. For a moment, he could have sworn it had moved closer. Her daze was disrupted by a woman walking into the room, dressed in pristine white garments.

"Captain Andor," Mon Mothma started. "I was hoping to catch you in here. Good afternoon, Miss Tolderyn."

"Perhaps we should speak in the hall." Cassian suggested, brushing off his hands on his loose T-shirt.

"Actually, I'm glad to have found you both. This is a matter for the both of you." Her wise yet intense gaze made Reina shift nervously on her feet. Cassian listened intently as she explained the new mission. He was to meet with an old adversary of his and negotiate her offer of supplies for the Rebellion. Reina was requested to come along as the mechanic on board.

"I think that Miss Tolderyn has proven her abilities and since it is a simple trip, I believe now would be a good time to test her out on the field." Mon Mothma smiled warmly at Reina, casting away her doubt. "I expect you to be prepared first thing tomorrow." With a final nod, she left and Reina immediately started bustling around the room.

"I'm not even the slightest bit prepared!" She exclaimed. "What if something happens and I don't know what to do? Or what if I make it worse!" Cassian chuckled.

"Everything will be fine, Reina." He stepped in front of her to keep her from pacing. "It's a simple mission and the journey will only be a week or two at the most." She rubbed her hands up and down her arms.

"I haven't even left the base since you brought me here. And now we're to go galavanting off to a different planet? I just… I don't know if I can do this." She looked down at the floor. "I always thought that when I had escaped the Besais… I would go home."

His face fell. He had almost forgotten about his plan to return her to her home planet.

"Right… of course." He sighed, but she smirked.

"But I do like it here. I feel like a part of something… important." She took a deep breath. "I'll go with you. I want to help." She brushed past him and their eyes met once again. This time, Cassian was the first to look away, heart pounding and mind reeling.

"Careful Captain," Reina warned. "You almost looked like you'd miss me." He smiled and shook his head, not willing to believe the impossible notion that he could be falling for her.

* * *

Once the ship was packed with enough supplies, the crew prepared for departure. Reina made a few last check-ups on the ship to make sure that it was in good condition. Cassian found himself following her, simply walking by her side as she worked. Two men strayed away from them, discussing quietly amongst themselves.

"She's ready." Reina said, slapping the ship's metal side. K2 shook his head.

"Well, it is about time." He quipped.

"Reina was simply being thorough." Cassian hissed. REain's breath hitched. As he continued to scold the rude droid, she noticed the way his r's slightly rolled every time he said her name. She knew he had an accent, but she has never found it so intriguing before. For a moment she almost found it… attractive.

She quickly emptied her mind of the thought and followed Cassian onto the ship, unaware of the men watching her with grim faces and wicked looks in their eyes.

Cassian was to be the negotiator when they reached their destination, as well as the pilot. Reina, of course, was the engineer. The two others were considered backup in case the mission somehow went awry. K2 has just insisted on coming to make sure Cassian didn't get himself in any more trouble.

Reina curled up in the copilot seat, reminded of the last time she has flown. It was the very journey that the Besais had attacked. She could almost feel her father's hands guiding hers along the controls. The blaster echoing through the ship rung through her memory, causing her to wince.

Cassian reached out to comfort her, but thought better of it. Reina shook the memories away and pictured instead the glistening streams of Naboo and the forests outside the rebel base. The images always brought her peace.

She hadn't expected, however, Cassian's rare smile to emerge from her thoughts, nor his soothing voice softly coaxing her to sleep. Her eyes found his and hastily broke away.

"Do you know how to fly?" He wondered, breaking the silence between them.

"A little." She shrugged. "It has been a very long time." He leaned back.

"Why don't you give it a try?" He motioned to the ship's controls.

"I don't think that's a good idea."

"Come on, I'm sure you'll be fine." Cassian begged.

"Doubtful." K2 noted from behind. Cassian glared.

"I suppose it couldn't hurt anything." Reina submitted. In a few quick motions, she had turned off autopilot and was gracefully guiding them through the stars. Everything her father had taught her felt fresh in her mind.

"You're a natural." Cassian laughed, his face bright with the smile that had been becoming more and more frequent.

Their destination grew increasingly closer until Cassian was able to land. The planet was lush with tropical forests and large, expanding seas with long bridges connecting the villages to the marketplace.

"Emre has arranged us a place to stay." Cassian announced. "I will be discussing with her in the morning, but for now I suggest we get something to eat and get some rest." He dismissed the men and turned to Reina. "We are to have dinner with Emre. She wants to meet you."

"Me?" Reina's brows furrowed. "What would she want to meet me? I'm just the mechanic." Cassian shrugged.

"I'm more curious how she knew you were coming." He started toward a large building, but turned back. "And Reina- you're not just a mechanic." He held up his jacket to protect the two of them from the rain and rushed across one of the many bridges into a stone building.

Inside was warm and decorated with red drapes and gold floors. It was luxury like Reina had never seen, even on Naboo. A tile mosaic in the entry depicted great temples and shining cities, all guarded by cloaked knights with weapons of light. _The Jedi._

"Cassian Andor, I should slap you for making a lady wait so long." An older woman strut down the hallway with welcoming arms. Despite her age, she radiated beauty. She placed her hand on Cassian's cheek. "But it would be a shame to strike that pretty face of yours." She laughed and wrapped him in a merry embrace."

"It's good to see you Emre." Cassian responded with a deep laugh.

Emre had known him since he was a boy, just before his father joined the rebellion. She had been his mother's teacher when she was young. After his mother died, Emre moved and he and his father chose to fight against those responsible for his mother's death: the Empire.

Emre broke away from him and turned to Reina, engulfing her in a sudden hug. Reina tensed awkwardly and glared at Cassian, who snickered at her discomfort.

"I am ecstatic to finally meet you, Reina Tolderyn." Emre greeted brightly.

"How did you-" Reina stammered, but Emre took her and Cassian by the hand and dragged them down the hall into an extravagant dining room.

"Emre, we both know this isn't a social event." Cassian sighed grimly.

"Always so serious." The older woman scolded. "There will be no talk of business tonight. Just old friends-" she winked at Reina, "and new ones."

Dinner was a banquet of tender meats and bubbling wines. It was more food than Reina had ever eaten and by the time it was done, she was almost too full to move. Emre was an absolute delight, telling stories of her travels, and, to Cassian's dismay, some about his childhood.

"There was this one time I recall," she began, "when Cassian was no more than four years old. He insisted on carrying around this little toy blaster and jumping out to frighten people- he was quite the little rascal." She smirked and Cassian stared down at his plate, shaking his head. Reina could still see the small, amused turn of his lip. "Anyway, one time, he jumped out in front of this little girl, who promptly punched him right in the nose. The poor girl couldn't stop crying."

"Poor girl?" Cassian exclaimed. "I was the one with a broken nose!"

"A broken nose that you very much deserved." Emre chuckled. It was Reina's turn to snicker and smugly took a bite of her bread.

They were settled into lavish rooms fit for royalty. Cassian's was directly across the hall from Reina's and the two walked side by side, laughing and grinning the whole way.

"I am so glad I came here." Reina blurted, having had a few too many glasses of the fizzing drink Emre teasingly called 'Liquid Luck'. Cassian nodded and helped her into her room. Reina dived into her large bed, surrounding herself with blankets and pillows and Cassian said a brief goodnight before shutting the door behind him, settling into his own room.

"I do not trust those two men General Draven sent with us." K2 told a half-asleep Cassian. "I find that there is an 80% chance that they have a very different objective."

"They're just back up, K." Cassian groaned.

"That doesn't mean I have to like them." K went out into the hallway. In the absence of the blabbing droid, Cassian was finally able to fall asleep.

While the rebel captain slept peacefully, Reina met a rude awakening to a blaster in her side.

And as Reina was dragged down the hall, K2 turned the corner just in time to watch the men force her out of the building. He sighed.

"I have a very bad feeling about this."

 **The sexual tension is killing me! I hope you all are enjoying this story as much as I am. I just went to go see The Last Jedi and I am utterly speechless. Let me know all of your thoughts. I really appreciate all of the feedback. Also, I recently join Commaful, so I'll be exploring over there as well. My name is Trials of Hope. See you guys next chapter.**


	5. Chapter 5

Reina's eyes flung open as the cold barrel dug into her ribs.

"Get up." A voice hissed. A hand was pressed over her mouth and another was forcefully lifting her off of the bed. Even in the dark room, she still recognized the faces of the two men sent as back-up. Their eyes were dark and menacing and one of them took a pair of metal cuffs out of his pocket. She bit down hard on the hand over her mouth, spitting out blood as the man jerked away.

She rushed for the balster Cassian had trusted her with, but was knocked backward. The man's aim switched to her forehead.

"Barkin!" The other boomed. "They want her alive."

"Then tell the bitch to stay put.' Barkin replied. "The general didn't tell us she'd be this much trouble."

"Did you think she'd cooperate? We're taking her back to one of the most feared gangs in the galaxy."

Her heart plummeted. They were taking her back to the Besais. She kicked Barkin hard between the legs and ran out into the hallway, almost reaching Cassian's door when a hand latched around her arm, pulling it upwards behind her back. Pain shot up her nerves, screaming to be released.

"I wouldn't wake Captain Andor if I were you." Barkin warned. "Nigel," He motioned to his comrade and Nigel moved to Cassian's door, blaster held high. "Come with us, and we'll let him sleep." Nigel began to turn the knob. "If not… well it would be a shame to report that Andor died in an Imperial attack. Such a promising young captain…" The blaster was aimed at Cassian's sleeping form. His back was turned, but Reina could picture his face as the shot tore through him, his beautiful dark eyes never to open again.

"Fine." She spat. "Just leave him alone." Barkin sneered.

"There's a good little slave girl." He pulled her down the hall, her feet slightly dragging on the floor. She refused to look back, afraid she wouldn't be able to continue. But how could she have known that the man who freed her would be the very person she sacrificed that freedom for?

* * *

"Wake-" _Thud_ "Up-" _Thwack_ "You-" _Thump_ "Great-" _Smack_ "Buffoon!" As K2 lifted the pillow for another strike, Cassian grabbed his metal arm, eyes blazing.

"What is it K?" He growled, the grogginess of sleep quickly replaced with anger.

"We have a problem." As K2 proceeded to tell him what he witnessed, Cassian's pulse leaped, his insides turning with fury and fear. Immediately, Cassian flung off the covers and sprinted into the hall, barely waiting long enough for the droid to tell him which way they went- which was followed by a muttered (and ignored) 'I told you so.'

Cassian's heart pounded in his ears, his bare feet padding against the tiles. The night had brought an even greater storm than the morning's. The sea's waves crashed onto the bridges, making the path slick. The rain poured so thickly, he could barely see the small light about halfway across the bridge.

"Reina!" He shouted into the storm.

"Damn it." Barkin muttered, whirling around, twisting Reina's arm even more as he fired his blaster at the dark mass chasing after them. Cassian fired back, his aim far better than his opponent's. His shot hit Nigel in the shoulder, the man's scream lost under a roll of thunder.

Reina took the opportunity and shoved Barkin away, causing him to slip on the flooded path. Nigel, holding his wound, ran towards her, but she kicked his feet out from under him.

"Cassian!" She called out as he quickly caught up to them.

"We don't have time!" Nigel barked.

"If we let her go, she'll tell him everything!" Barkin argued, narrowly missing Cassian's arm. He looked over at the raging sea below. "Let the Besais deal with this mess." Nigel nodded in agreement.

"They'll just have to find her corpse themselves!" Barkin wrapped his arms around Reina's middle, pinning her arms to her sides as Nigel grabbed her legs. He winced when she kicked his wounded shoulder, but his hold remained strong.

Cassian ran as fast his feet would carry him, watching in horror as the two men lifted Reina off of the ground.

"No!" He screamed, reaching out as if he could somehow catch her as the men threw her over the railing. "Reina!"

She soared through the air until she was engulfed by the black water below. Waves crashed over her, rain pounding into the surface.

"Reina!" Cassian fired one last shot at the retreating traitors before stepping carefully onto the railing, searching desperately for any sign of her, but the dark waves revealed nothing. Taking a deep breath, he dove in after her.

The two were tossed and thrown by the waves, water filling their lungs as the called out to each other. Reina was the first to resurface, barely able to keep her head above the water long enough to take a breath.

Cassian fought against the raging current, but a tidal wave overpowered him, throwing him hard into the rocky side of the island.

As Reina made her way to the shore, she passed a limp body, face under water.

"Cassian!" She shrieked, flailing her arms desperately through the water. She latched her icy fingers onto his shirt, dragging him up onto the black sand. She brushed his wet hair out of his face, holding his head in her hands. A large gash streaked across her forehead, but she didn't care. All that mattered was him. His body was still and no breath came from his mouth.

"No, no, no, please." She cried, feeling his cold lips against her finger tips. "I can't lose you. Cassian please…" She closed her eyes tight, rain freezing her shirt to her body like a second skin. She felt the wind and the storm, but there was something else. It was calm as the sea was violent and she could feel it all around her.

She drew from it, taking it in as she took a deep breath. She pressed her lips against Cassian's, giving him as much of her breath as she could.

Cassian awoke, coughing out a lungful of water. Reina cried out with relief, but the mysterious power was too much. It took over her senses, devouring her thoughts and rendering her unconscious. The last thing she heard was a voice calling out to her, rolling the _r_ ever so slightly.

* * *

"Emre!" Cassian shouted into the dark home. He carried Reina closely against his chest, hoping to keep her warm despite his freezing skin. "Somebody help!" Emre appeared down the hall, her night gown flowing behind her as she rushed towards him.

"What happened?" She gasped, examining the slash on Reina's head and the cuts and bruises across Cassian's back.

"It's a long story. Just get me whatever medical supplies you have." She went off and he kicked open the door to Reina's quarters, gently laying Reina on her bed. Emre came back, carrying a water bowl and a cloth.

"This is all I have. Everything is distributed to the people." Her face was apologetic, but Cassian took them with gratitude, setting the bowl on the nightstand and dabbing away the blood streaming down Reina's face.

"Please wake up." He pleaded. He lightly brushed away a single strand, tucking it gently behind her ear. "I need you." Emre leaned against the door frame, warmth growing in her heart. When his mother died, Emre feared Cassian would never know love again. He, lik his father, turned into a cold a bitter man, a rough carving out of the bright boy he used to be. But now, she could see that the fear and desperation in his voice stemmed from the love he held for this girl. She backed out of the room, quietly closing the door behind her.

Reina let out a quiet groan, her head pounding with sharp pains as she tried to sit up.

"Take it easy." Cassian said softly, laying her back down amongst the pillows.

"Cassian?" She whispered, laying a hand on his cheek. "Are you alright?" He nodded. His smile faded as she shoved him away. "What in Jedha's name were you thinking?"

"Excuse me?" Cassian exclaimed.

"Barkin could have killed you, let alone the storm!" She scowled, letting the fear she had felt fuel her anger. "I-" She stopped herself. "The Rebellion needs you alive."

"Damn the Rebellion!" He shouted and Reina fell silent. "Those men were sent by the Rebellion to protect us! And they tried to murder you."

"They weren't supposed to kill me." Reina muttered, running her hand over her face. "I never should have left." Cassian stiffened, his expression unreadable.

"What are you talking about?"

"They were taking me back to the Besais!" She yelled, wincing as the noise made her head pound even more. "They must have made some kind of deal to get me back. When you came, Barkin decided I wasn't worth the trouble and threw me over." She leaned her head back against the wall. "I should have known Veran would never let me go. They're going to keep searching for me, and now you've been dragged into the mess." She bordered dangerously close to tears. "I never should have left."

"Stop it." Cassian growled, sitting down on the bed, placing his hands on her shoulders. "Don't ever think I regret taking you away from those monsters. Reina…" He struggled to maintain calm, but he simply couldn't. His emotions were taking over. "My life has turned upside down since that day and I don't think I'd survive if it changed back."

"Cassian," Reina sighed.

"Despite that," He took a deep breath. "I'm taking you home." He moved to stand, but Reina put her hand on top of his.

"Cassian, no." She ordered. "How can you just take me back to Naboo after everything we've been through?"

"I don't have a choice." He spat, his expression softening as he looked deeply into her eyes. "I almost lost you tonight and I have no intention of ever feeling that again."

"Then we will fight them together." She begged and decided to play into his strategic side. "Besides, Naboo is the first place the Besais will look for me." After a moment of thought, he nodded and looked away. She placed her hand on the side of his face, forcing him to look at her. "You're not the only one who almost lost something tonight. When I pulled you out of that water and you weren't breathing, I was sure that I would break." She leaned forward and he did the same, like a magnetic force was pulling them together. "Cassian, I…"

"I know." He whispered and closed the gap between them. Their lips met hesitantly at first. A part of them knew that it would only complicate matters, but the majority of their beings only wanted each other. Cassian slipped his hand behind her head, his other arm moving around her waist; both pulling her closer to him.

They were two stars, slowly dancing together as they inevitably burned out.

Reina pulled away to allow them both to breath. Her fingers clung to the fabric of his shirt, afraid that if she let go, he would slip away into the dark.

"We should sleep." Her voice was barely audible, Cassian was sure he wouldn't have heard had his face not been inches away from hers. He nodded in agreement, the exhaustion of the night's events hitting them both. He contemplated returning to his room, but Reina spoke before he made up his mind. "Will you stay?" Again, he nodded silently.

Reina moved so he could lay down beside her as he drew the blankets over the two of them. She laid her head on his chest, grateful for the beating heart beneath. His arms wrapped around her, keeping her as close as he possibly could.

"Everything is going to change, isn't it?" She wondered. Cassian gently ran his fingers through her hair.

"Just rest." He soothed and his calm breathing slowly lulled her to sleep. She was right. Every fleeting glance, every accidental touch would mean more. A tear could be vanquished by a simple smile. With every darkness they saw in themselves, they would seek the light in each other. Now that they had gained so much, they had so much more to lose.

 **Daaaaaaaaa. I'm so glad to have finally written them together and I hope all of you are as excited as I am. Also, I totally forgot to put in the last note that I just made up a back story for Cassian, so his background with Emre has nothing to do with anything canon.**


	6. Chapter 6

The storm clouds cleared and the morning sun shone brightly. Before her meeting with Cassian in the afternoon, Emre requested to have breakfast with Reina on her balcony. The two woman sipped tea in the warm sunlight, listening to the waves crash against the shore.

"It's always so peaceful after a storm." Emre sighed, watching Reina carefully.

"I find that hard to believe." Reina scoffed. She set down her tea. "I'm sorry. I don't mean to be rude. It's been-"

"A rough night?" Emre finished. Reina smiled and nodded.

"Yeah."

"I know what you're thinking." Emre's tone was now serious. "You don't feel like you're enough for him." Reina opened her mouth to object, but couldn't find it in herself to lie.

"You're good at that. Knowing things you shouldn't." She stared at the horizon, fiddling with the loose strands of her shirt. "My name, what I'm thinking… any mind tricks you're not telling me about?"

"I got your name from Mon Mothma." She explained. "As for your problem…" She pulled up the sleeve of her dress, revealing a faded, yet still prominent, brand. "My intuition comes from experience."

"You were a-" Reina gasped.

"For fifteen years," Emre confirmed. "Not only do I know what you're thinking but I know how you feel." Reina closed her eyes, allowing a single tear to escape down her cheek. "Once you've belonged to someone, it's hard to see your worth." The older woman leaned across the table, placing her hand on top of Reina's. "But I have known Cassian for a very long time. Around you, I can see that joyous little boy in him again. To him, you are worth galaxies."

Her gaze was so intense, Reina was almost afraid to look away. Neither of them said a word for a long time, allowing Reina to soak in the truth of Emre's words. Before breakfast concluded, Emre added one last thought.

"Now you must find that within yourself." Reina nodded, the tears falling freely as the older woman took her in her arms.

Reina left and Emre prepared for her meeting with Cassian. Reina's feet felt lighter as she walked down the hall, knowing that there was someone else who understood her pain and her anger. She stopped in front of a large mirror, drawing the fabric of her shirt down. It revealed the angry red mark on her shoulder. A blade and a serpent morphed to form the letter B. The Besai brand.

She stared at it, wishing that she could burn it off as easily as it had been seared onto her skin. She wiped the tears away from her eyes- now red from crying.

"What's wrong?" Cassian asked, walking towards her, concern in his voice. She shook her head, forcing a smile.

"Nothing." She lied. His eyes fell on her branded skin, face falling.

"It doesn't define you." He said softly. "That mark is a part of your past but it will never be a part of who you are." She wrapped her arms around him, burying her face in his chest. He placed a kiss on the top of her head, enveloping her in his embrace.

"You're wrong." She muttered. "It will always be a part of me. I just have to decide what it means." He pulled away, lifting her chin so her eyes met with his.

"Then I will be with you," He pressed a kiss to her lips. Contrasting to the kiss from the night before, this was soft and sweet. Comforting. "All the way." She brushed his dark locks out of his eyes and smiled.

"We're going to make it." She vowed, pulling away and continuing down the hall, a new confidence leading her toward the marketplace.

* * *

Negotiations with Emre were short and simple. She was happy to the give the Rebellion supplies in exchange for protection against the Empire.

"You should visit more often." She said, patting his hand. "And bring her with you. She's an absolute delight."

"I think bringing her here, having her meet you… it's taught her something." Cassian mused. "Maybe it's taught me something too." Emre nodded thoughtfully.

"She's very special, Cassian. Watch over her." The hugged one last time and Cassian went off to find Reina.

She toyed with the bandage covering her shoulder, lounging on one of the sofas in the parlor. K2 watched her from the corner, waiting for Cassian to join them.

"As her where she's been all afternoon." K2 immediately stated. Reina rolled her eyes and Cassian's brows furrowed.

"What happened to your shoulder?" He asked, crossing the room to her.

"It isn't a big deal." She insisted. "I went out to the market and-"

"You went to the market alone?" Cassian snapped. Reina looked down. "Those men are still out there. They could've tried to take you again."

"I was fine, Cassian. I have my blaster and I am perfectly capable of using it." She argued, standing up. Though she was shorter, her eyes locked with his, burning a hard gaze.

"What happened to us doing this together." He whispered, trying to make sure K2 wouldn't hear. Reina placed a hand on his arm.

"We are."

"Then tell me why you went alone." He pleaded. She sighed and removed the bandage. Cassina froze, examining the black swirls stretching across her skin. The in depicted a sun rising over rolling waves, engulfing the harsh lines of the Besai brand. Underneath was a single word- _tomorrow_.

"It's just something I needed to do." Her lips curled into a lopsided smile.

"It's beautiful." He breathed, his fingers grazing over the delicate waves.

"Congratulations, you've had ink inserted into your skin by a tiny, painful needle." K2 mocked. "Can we leave now?" Cassian and Reina rolled their eyes in unison.

As they all made their way to the loading bay, Cassian looked around at the tropical planet, thinking of everything that had happened. Reina laced her fingers through his.

"You know, we could stay a little longer." She suggested, a glint of mischief in her eyes. "I could say that the ship wasn't fit for travel."

"So we've resorted to lying to the Rebellion," K2 scoffed, "lovely."

"Relax, your highness." Reina teased. "I was only joking." K2 turned to her in offended shock as Cassian snickered.

"I hope you two are very happy together." The droid snapped and quickly walked ahead of them. Reina laughed.

"I think he's warming up to me."

* * *

There was no longer an awkward silence hanging in the air of the small ship. Instead, there was bright conversations and the bell-like sound of Reina's laugh. Suddenly, the ship jolted, nearly throwing Reina out of her seat.

"What was that?" She and cassian asked at the same time.

"It appears we're being pulled in by a large cargo freighter." K2 informed them.

"Is it the Empire?" Reina wondered in panic.

"If it was the Empire, we would already be dead." K2 sneered.

"It's probably just some scavengers looking for something they can sell." Cassin muttered as the ship came to a grinding halt. "Just a bunch of pirates." The hatch opened and they all slowly exited, greeted by a woman holding a gun to Cassian's face.

"State your business." She spat. His demeanor was calm, holding his hands over his head.

"We were on our way back from visiting family on-"

"What's with the Imperial droid?" She raised a blue brow, her green skin covered in tattoos.

"We bought him from a scrap metal store in the Outer Rim. He's reprogrammed; harmless." Her gaze shifted to Reina, eyes narrowing. Cassian's pulse leapt.

"Names?"

"I'm Mirate Chase and this is my wife Kena." Reina's eyes went wide, but she tried not to show her surprise. It was just a cover. The woman stared darkly at Cassian.

"Lay off, Nira." A voice exclaimed. "They're clearly just simple folk who got lost."

" _I'll deal with you later."_ Nira hissed in a different language.

"I just wanna get out of here. So the faster you let them leave, the faster I can jump into hyperspace and get off this hunk of junk."

"Shut it, Solo." She hissed again and the man stepped out from the shadow of his ship." You won't be going anywhere." She motioned to one of her comrades. "Take Sole to the brig. Captain wants a word with him."

"You've gotta be kidding!" The man exclaimed. "Look, Nira, I have to get to Tatooine!" Reina's breath hitched and Cassian grabbed her hand.

"You can settle your debts with Jaba another day. For now, your ass is mine." Nira sneered as the men dragged Solo away, along with his shrieking Wookie companion. She turned back to Cassian and a droid handed her a tablet. She smirked.j

"C-can we go now?" Reina asked nervously. Nira held up the screen, Cassian's image flickering under the words _Captain Cassian Andor: Wanted for treason against the Empire._

"Who did you say you were visiting… _Mirate_?" Reina immediately grabbed her blaster, aiming directly for the pirate's head. Nira laughed as her droid reached out its metal prongs, sending a sharp, painful wave of electricity through Reina, her body collapsing.

"Reina!" Cassian cried, two men practically tackling him as he tried to reach her.

"The Empire will pay a high price for your head, rebel scum." Nira noted as they ofrec cassian down a small hallway, one man dragging Reina's unconscious body behind them and another leading K2 with a blaster pointed at the droid's back.

They shoved the three into a dark room and chuckled darkly as the door slid shut. Cassian immediately dropped to his knees, pressing two fingers to Reina's neck, relieved to find a pulse.

"Look what you've gotten us into." K2 sighed and decided to give Cassian the cold shoulder as punishment, though it was somewhat of a blessing to have the droid off his back.

"She okay?" Solo asked from his place in the corner. The Wookie let out a concerned yelp. Cassian nodded cautiously at the stranger.

"She'll survive." He cupped her cheek in his hand, running his fingers over her soft skin. The scavenger stuck out his hand.

"The name's Han Solo." He introduced himself and jutted a thumb at the creature behind him. "That's Chewbacca." The Wookie made a sound that Cassian assumed was a greeting. "Nira can me a real piece of work."

"I'm not exactly worried about a bunch of pirates." Cassian muttered, running his hands through his hair.

"You mean the Empire?" Han scoffed. "I can't help you there. That's why I stay out of that whole mess. To much politics." He leaned against the wall. Cassian rolled his eyes. "Don't get me wrong, the whole freeing the galaxy thing is great and all, but the rebellion doesn't stand a chance."

"I choose not to believe that." Cassian looked up at him and Han fell silent. Neither man made a sound for a long time. Han tried to keep Chewie from panicking while Cassian listened to the engine's low hum, laying his hand on top of Reina's.

At the quiet sound of his name, he looked up, finding her eyes slightly open, adjusting to the darkness. Cassian held her hand against his chest and she could feel the deep steady beats of his heart.

"That went well." She coughed, using all of her energy to sit up, giving Cassian a smile to show him she was alright. Cassian sighed with relief and tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. As the two were focused on each other, Han noticed something on the girl's shoulder. It was a tattoo, but beneath the ink there were the prominent red lines of a scar, taking the shape of a B.

Han froze. It was the Besai brand. He had heard about the runaway slave and the mysterious man who helped her and killed Asto. There was a price for his head and to bring her back alive. A price that could erase his deepening debts with Jaba the Hutt.

* * *

 **I hope you all enjoyed! Don't forget to please please please leave reviews so I know what you guys think!**


	7. Chapter 7

Hours passed and the tension in that small dark cell was growing worse by the minute. Cassian didn't trust the smuggler, nor his furry companion. Han was battling with his conscience while Reina was trying to figure out how to escape before the stormtroopers showed up. No one had spoken for nearly twenty minutes and Reina began to find the silence extremely unnerving.

She scanned the room for anything she could possibly use as a weapon to fight their way out. She jumped up from her seat, surprising both men and causing Chewie to let out a startled yelp. She quickly moved across the room to a small panel in the floor. She tried to lift it, but the metal was thick and heavy.

"Give me a hand with this, both of you." She ordered. Han shot Cassian a look and shrugged. K2 was absolutely no help. He'd been making snide comments that everyone ignored, though Chewier looked ready to tear his robotic arms off.

The three were able to pry up the panel, revealing a hole leading to a ventilation system. Han ran a hand through his hair and sighed.

"There's no way I'm fitting through that.' He pointed out. "And Chewie especially won't fit either."

"Neither will I." Cassian agreed mournfully. He laid a hand on Reina's shoulder. "We'll figure something else out." She stared down into the vent.

"I can fit." She looked up at Cassian. "I can get through and unlock the door."

"No." Cassian shook his head." You have no weapon and who knows how many crewmen are on this ship."

"Actually, they would have raided our ships by now. Any weapons will be in the storage room near the loading bay." Han noted. "Not heavily guarded either."

"You see," Reina hopped down into the hole, "I'll be fine." Cassian knelt down, grabbing her arm.

"I can't let you go down there." He ordered and the couple stared intensely at each other. Han patted his jacket pockets before making an 'aha' sound and reaching down to his boots. He pulled out two small metal rectangles from behind his ankles.

"Here." He handed one to Reina. "This will let you communicate with us and I might be able to guide you to the weapons from here. This isn't the first time I've dealt with these morons." Reina nodded, but he was getting death glares from Cassian.

"This is our only chance." She reassured Cassian, putting her hand on top of his. "I'll be back soon." Clutching the communication device in her hand, she crawled into the vent, leaving the two men in an awkward silence.

"So," Han started, "How long have you two been together?"

"Don't you think I know what you're doing?" Cassian snapped. "Pretending to help us so you can sell her off to Jaba? I know you saw the brand on her shoulder." He grabbed Han by the collar. Chewie stepped forward but Han held up his hand to stop him. "Well, I'm not going to let you take her back there."

"Will you just shut up for two seconds?" Han shoved Cassian off of him. "Look, I know you don't trust me but I'm really not a bad guy." Chewbacca made a sound and Han pointed angrily at him. "Nobody asked you!"

"I really don't see how the two of you fighting is going to-"

"Shut up K2!" Cassian stepped towards Han. "You have no idea what it was like for her."

"I'm not taking your girlfriend to Tatooine!" Han shouted. He took a deep breath to try and calm down. "I've made mistakes in my life but I'm not going to make her pay for them. Now can we please focus on getting out of here?"

"Is this on?" Reina's voice came through the device. Han gave Cassian a look before answering.

"Loud and clear." he began to lead her through the vents, K2 correcting him at every turn. Cassian was forced to stand by and listen.

"Reina crawled through what felt like miles of metal tunnels until she opened a hatch to the room above her. As she looked over their weapons that were jumbled together on top of a table, she smirked.

"Well done Solo."

Hand gave Cassian a grin, who proceeded to roll his eyes.

Reina tucked her blaster in her waistband and grabbed Cassian, Han, and Chewie's weapons, stuffing them into a bag and slinging it over her shoulder. Also lying on the table was her father's silver box. Just as she reached for it, two men walked into the room. Reina froze as they raised their blasters.

"Drop the bag!" The shouted. Hearing the commotion from the other end, Cassian snatched the device from Han.

"Reina, what's going on?"

"I said drop the bag!" They stepped further into the room and Reina slowly set the weapons down. "Now for yours." She took out her blaster and set it beside the bag.

"Reina!" Cassian's voice screamed.

As the two came towards her, a strange sound caught their attention. They looked at the box on the table and then back at Reina. Reina glanced at the shaking case and then back at them.

She instinctively reached out her hand and in a flash of gree,n the two crewmen were dead. She stared down in shock at the glowing object in her hand. The object that her father had kept in a sealed metal box for over twenty years. A lightsaber.

"Reina, if you don't answer, I'm coming to you. Cassian shouted into the communicator.

"You'd get stuck." K2 noted.

"I will personally disable you one obnoxious piece at a time if you don't shut up." Cassian barked. Reina felt something surge through her as she flipped the lightsaber in her hand. She lifted the device to her lips.

"Change of plans."

* * *

"She's probably dead," K2 noted as they listened to the sound of chaos and violence just outside the door. Cassian had his forehead against the wall, debating how many times he would have to bang his head against it before he died. He turned to Han with a dark glare.

"If anything happens to her-"

"You'll personally disable me one obnoxious piece at a time, I get the picture." Han said, throwing a rubber ball at the ceiling.

"Where did you even get that?" K2 asked. The commotion outside suddenly went silent.

"Stand back." A voice from the other side warned and a beam of light started to carve a hole through the door. The sheet of metal fell with a clang and standing in the opening was Reina. She wiped the sweat from her forehead and stepped over the creature's body at her feet. Everyone stared in shock. Cassian's eyes were locked on the glowing green blade in her hand.

"I'll explain later." She motioned for them to follow her. "Now come on." The two men gaped as they trailed behind her, looking around at the carnage of the fight they'd heard through the door.

"What happened out here?" Han muttered, stepping over a vile looking body. Reina skillfully tossed their weapons back to them.

"Evidently… she did." K2 commented. Cassina moved quickly to catch up with her.

"Reina." He jerked back as she turned towards him, the lightsaber nearly taking off his arm. She laughed.

"Sorry. I guess I'm not quite used to it." She shut off the weapon as Cassian watched her with a concerned expression.

"Reina, where did you find that?" He questioned. Lightsabers were extremely rare. They didn't just appear on smuggler ships. Her smile broadened.

"It was my father's." When his expression merely deepened in confusion, she explained. She pulled the metal case out of her bag and handed it to him. "When those guards found me, I thought I was done for. But then that box started to move and I just… I held out my hand and it flew to me. It was as if I knew exactly what to do."

"Your father was a…" he lowered his voice, " _jedi_?"

"Get them!" A voice shouted. Nira and a group of smugglers stormed towards them. Han gulped.

"Time to go."

* * *

 **It's back! I hope you guys enjoy the next chapter. I'm hoping to get this story rolling a little more since I do have a sequel in mind!**


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